ISLAMABAD: Dr Farogh Naseem on Monday resigned as Minister of Law and Justice to represent the federal government in response to Justice Qazi Faez Isa's petition against the Presidential reference.

Khalid Jawed Khan, who replaced Anwar Mansoor Khan as Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP), had declined to represent the federal government in Justice Faez's petition, and in the last hearing (February 24, 2020) sought time, so that the government could engage a lawyer for defending it.

A 10-member larger bench, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial will resume the hearing of identical petitions challenging presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez for allegedly not disclosing his foreign properties in his wealth statement.

Besides the apex court judge, the Pakistan Bar Council, the Supreme Court Bar Association, bar councils and associations of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan, and Abid Hassan Minto, and I A Rehman, have also challenged the Presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

Barrister Naseem confirmed to Business Recorder that he has resigned.

"In order to represent the federation in the case, I have tendered my resignation today (Monday) as law minister," said Farogh Naseem.

This is the second time that Dr Naseem has resigned from his post.

Last year, in November, he resigned to appear on behalf of Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa before a three-judge bench of the apex court that heard a petition against the extension/re-appointment of General Bajwa.

Justice Qazi Faez in is Civil Miscellaneous Application, filed on May 29, 2020, has condemned the role of Minister of Law and Justice Farogh Naseem and former Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan in helping prepare the reference against him.

The judge alleged that Farogh Naseem was an ardent supporter of MQM founder Altaf Hussain.